Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will be vacating his position by the end of September. Suga said Friday that he has no plans to run for the leadership of the government party, the Liberal Democratic Party.
Suga's decision not to participate in the Sept. 29 leadership race will pave the way for a new Japanese leader. Suga will have served as Japan's prime minister for only one year when he eventually leaves his post. Suga said he will still be working as a public servant but he will be focused more on bolstering Japan's pandemic response.
Suga became the country's prime minister in September last year. He took over his predecessor Shinzo Abe, who had to step down due to his health. When he first took office, Suga had support ratings of as high as 70% because of his background.
Suga was the son of farmers from Japan's northern Akita prefecture. He was mostly viewed by the public as a leader from the common people rather than a leader groomed by political families.
During his tenure, Suga has faced heavy criticism for his administration's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. His support rating took a nosedive as the public viewed the government's pandemic measures as inefficient and slow. He was also heavily criticized for having allowed the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to proceed despite strong public concerns over the further spread of COVID-19.
Suga had introduced several practical measures during his tenure, including administrative reforms and the digitalization of some government systems. However, those did little to bring up his rating as COVID-19 swept through the nation. In the latest media surveys, Suga's support ratings dropped to about 26%.
Suga's party currently has the majority in Parliament, which means that whoever is elected as the party's leader will likely become the country's next prime minister.
Political analysts said the move may be part of the LDP's strategy to secure its position. The largely political move will give the party a new leader before the national elections later this year. Elections for the new Parliament are scheduled to be held sometime in November.
